Making a list and checking it twice

 Yep there’s something to that. Santa, because he’s Santa, has to be extremely organized. He’s actually a genius of planning and preparation! Imagine all that he has to do and keep track of all year long, not to mention on the big night!  His to-do list must be a million pages long.

Hopefully Santa takes advantage of technology to stay organized

So, in light of making the best of the most wonderful time of the year, here are three simple tips for effective list making:

1. Keep it simple

     Santa’s list is long, but he’s had a long time to practice and perfect it. Your to-do list needs only the most important tasks that MUST be completed that day. This will prevent you from being overwhelmed. A short list will allow you to prioritize and focus on the essentials. 

2. Plan ahead

      While you are most likely not managing a village of elves or magically making reindeer fly, it is important to be prepared for the day ahead. Write your to do list the night before. This way you will start your day with clarity. You’ll know exactly which tasks you need to complete and by when.

3. Picture it.

       A few moments picturing mentally the outcome of a project is very helpful in making the list. Picture the outcome first, then list the steps needed, supplies needed, contacts to make. This way you can empty your brain of all the details that tend to swarm around in there and occupy important brain space. Now that you’ve envisioned the outcome and made the list, your brain space is freed up to focus on whatever it needs to focus on. 

Some of the lists I have made in the last 6 weeks include:

list for groceries for Thanksgiving feast

list of supplies for jewelry production

list of games to play for fellowship party

list of clients to call for holiday window painting

list of addresses of family and friends for  holiday cards

list of stops to make on trip to Florida

list of usernames and passwords

list of questions to ask host during trip

list of sizes and prices for mixed media collages

list of potential guests for art workshop

list of chronology of family photos
list of Pantone colors for 2019
list of potential juried art shows for 2019
and so on and so forth....

Without making these lists, all the details and questions and stuff to do would just be jamming the circuits of my brain space. I find that once I make a list, I have more peace of mind and less mental clutter. 
Something I like to do when making a list is, at the top of the list, write “make a list”. That way as soon as I’m done I can cross off the first item! 

So enjoy your organized and envisioned holiday season! And don’t forget to make a list and check it at least twice!